Re: [Phys-L] foundations of physics: special relativity

["Donald G Polvani" <dgpolvani@verizon.net>]

Richard Tarara wrote on Saturday, October 03, 2015 4:25 PM

> In Ancient times (1960s) I my first encounter with vectors was in my
senior
> year HS physics course, and this was at a highly respected College-Prep
HS.

I go back to even more ancient times (1958) for a HS senior year physics
course.  We did vectors.  Learned they were independent of the coordinate
system, learned to add the tail of the second to the tip of the first, took
Cartesian components, etc.  All this didn't seem to be beyond the average
student.  This was a public HS - the one and only HS in my Connecticut
hometown.

In recent times, teaching introductory physics at a community college
(calculus-based) the students seemed to be familiar with the concept of a
vector but needed a little review to become proficient.  The need for review
was also evident in their knowledge of algebra, trigonometry, and calculus.
I wonder why the modern emphasis on AP courses in HS doesn't seem to produce
students (at least, students at a general admission community college) who
are as well prepared as my generation which did not have AP classes.

Don

Dr. Donald G. Polvani
Adjunct Faculty, Physics, Retired
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, MD 21012